Paw Stars, a new pet store located near Warsaw’s Walmart, will be on the city’s Code Enforcement agenda for July 23 if they are not approved for a variance with Warsaw’s Board of Zoning Appeals on June 24. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Adkins.

By Liz Adkins
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw’s Code Enforcement dismissed proceedings against the Economy Inn and heard an update on Paw Stars during a June 4 meeting.

Code Enforcement dismissed the proceedings against Economy Inn, located at 3521 Lake City Highway, as required improvements have been made to the property. Raj Patel, who owns Economy Inn and Deluxe Inn, located at 2575 E. Center St., attended the meeting.

Deluxe Inn was also on Code Enforcement’s docket for having several cargo containers at the property, which is in violation of a local ordinance without a waiver.

Code Enforcement Officer Dana Hewitt said Patel applied for a variance with the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals, and the application is currently under review.

Patel said he plans to keep two cargo containers at the property and remove two more that are currently there.

An update was also given on Paw Stars, a new pet store at the former Rue21 location at 2584 Walton Blvd. Robert Aplin, an attorney for Paw Stars, said a code violation at the property had been resolved.

Paw Stars is applying for a variance with Warsaw BZA, which will be heard at the BZA’s next meeting on June 24. If a resolution is not reached at the BZA meeting, Paw Stars will be on Code Enforcement’s July agenda.

“They’re taking the approach the city requested in the beginning and I see the tenant is going in that direction (by going to) the Board of Zoning Appeals to be heard first,” said Hewitt. “We will take a backseat to this, and if it’s resolved at that hearing on the 24th, then we’ll discontinue it at the next code hearing. If (Paw Stars) is not in the variance and still contests whether or not the business should occur at that location, then we’ll bring it back here and have that conversation.”

In the last month, community members protested outside of the pet store, alleging the business is a front for puppy mills.

Code Enforcement also heard an update on a residence at 104 E. Prairie St. Norman Hoyt said he is in the process of closing on the property. He said he’s planning to get financing at the time of closing for interior work, as the interior is currently gutted down to bare studs. The property was continued to the July meeting.

Short updates were also provided on properties at 815 E. Clark St. and 602 S. Morton St., both of which were also continued to July. Hewitt said he believed work on the East Clark Street property had slowed and would be going over to the residence to create a list of what still needs completed.

Building Inspector Rob Hurford said he thought work at the South Morton Street residence could be completed within six weeks.

The next Code Enforcement hearing is at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 23, in Warsaw City Hall.